Mahmoud Abdel Razek "Shikabala," the captain of Zamalek SC, revealed important details about his journey after returning from his professional stint in Greece. He explained that he almost transferred to Al Ahly, as the Red Club was in daily contact with him, while on the other hand, he received no response from Zamalek and found no one to welcome him despite his repeated visits to Al Ahly.

Shikabala said in an interview on the podcast "The Maker": "After I returned from Greece, Al Ahly was contacting me daily, but Zamalek was completely silent. I went to Al Ahly five times, but no one met with me."

He added: "I was sitting with Captain Adly Al-Ka’i’i and told him: Imagine if I scored against Zamalek and celebrated, maybe I would stop playing."

Ka’i’i reassured him: "Don’t worry, you’ll love Al Ahly a lot, but your heart won’t be there."

Turning Point… A Call That Changed the Course of Life

Things changed completely when Mamdouh Abbas, a Zamalek official, called him and gave him hope to return to his big home:

"Mamdouh Abbas called me and asked: What do you want to do? I told him clearly: I want to return to Zamalek, I apologized to Al Ahly, and I returned to my home, because Zamalek is my true home."

Facing Racism Early On… But Commitment Was the Strongest Weapon

Shikabala spoke frankly about the difficulties he faced at the start of his career with Zamalek, especially regarding racism due to his Aswan origin and dark skin, but he emphasized that this did not stop him from achieving his goals:

"In my first year at Zamalek, I felt some racism from some people because of my skin color and being from Aswan. But I didn’t focus on that. My commitment and discipline helped me continue and prove myself."

A Balanced Childhood Between Football and Life

Shikabala’s life was not limited to football; he had a balanced childhood where he learned to enjoy life alongside sports:

"Back then, we didn’t just train football, we went to the cinema, listened to music, went out and lived our lives. A child must dream and learn many things, not just focus on football."

He added: "Today’s generation is luckier; they are well cared for, sleep well, and eat right, which we lacked back then."

The School of Talents… The Foundation of Character and Success

Shikabala praised the role of the School of Talents in shaping him both as a player and a person, where he learned discipline and responsibility:

"Mido and I were lucky to start at the School of Talents. There we learned discipline and how to be responsible for ourselves and those around us."

He mentioned the late coach Nabil Nasir, who was like a spiritual father to him: "Captain Nabil was always encouraging us, and I used to get 10 pounds from him for every goal. He was truly a father before being a coach."

Who Were the Coaches Who Believed in Him?

Shikabala explained how important figures helped him in his professional career:

"Mr. Cabral was the first coach who gave me a chance to play with the first team and believed in me a lot."

He also praised the support of Captain Ahmed Ramzy in his early days, saying: "He played a big role in guiding me and helping me walk the right path."

The Golden Stage… Ages 7 to 14

Shikabala emphasized that the years between 7 and 14 are the most influential in building a player’s character and physical and psychological skills:

"This is the stage where the player builds himself, not only physically but also behaviorally and psychologically. If you build well here, you will be able to face any challenge."

Shikabala’s Call to Zamalek’s New Generation

He concluded his talk with a strong appeal to the youth to preserve the history and value of Zamalek:
"Back then, playing for Zamalek was every boy’s dream. Just passing in front of the first team’s locker room gave you great hope."
He added: "We must return to giving real value to the Zamalek jersey, and raise the new generation to respect and love it because that creates true champions."
Watch the full episode here